Ventilating apparatus.



II. L. VAN ZILI L I. A. LEWIS. I

VENTILATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED ocTfIo. I9I4I 1,21 1,900. Patented Jan. 9,1917'.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HARRY If. VAN ZILE AND THOMAS A. LEWIS, OF YORK, Nr. Y.; SAID LEWIS ASSIGNOR TO SAID VAN ZILE. i Y

VENTILATING ArPARATus.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application led October 10, 1914. Serial N o. 866,084.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY L. VAN ZILE and THOMAS A. LEWIS, citizens of the United States, and residents of the borough of Man.- hattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved ventilating apparatus and has particular referrence to the regulation of natural air-currents entering a room.

The main object of the invention is to produce a ventilator possessingthe following advantages, namely: Iirst, that it receives the air current from the outside tangentially in the direction in which the air flows, so that the greatest aggregate quantity thereof is collected; secondly, that it separates this current into a plurality of subordinate parallel layers which are protected from the main body of the oncoming air, as well as from frictional interference of one with the other; thirdly, that it conducts these layers simultaneously along quadri-sectoral bends of uniform shape causing ltheir direction of motion to be changed with the least loss of speed; fourthly, that the exits through which the layers respectively issue are arranged adjacent to one another in the same plane, substantially at right angles to the plane of entranceof the air, in such a way that the juxtaposed layers will collectively continue their travel upward as far as practicable away from the ventilator before being permitted finally to difuse into the room.

Another obj ect is the production of a ventilator' characterized by the advantages above enumerated which shall be of light and rigid construction, and also economical to manufacture.

Still another object is to provide a ventilating device of thetype hereinbefore outlined, wherein the passages formed by or between the quadri-sectoral bends may be opened for the iiow 'of air therethrough gradually, singly, alternately, consecutively, serially, or collectively, so as to regulate the volume of air entering the room, in any desirable manner.

A further object is the provision of an air duct combined or formed with the aforesaid type of ventilator so as to collect and guide `ends into the path of a closurecapable of either shutting off` or admitting the air to the said vanes, or even entirely blocking the outer entrance to the air duct, as may be required.

A still further object is to provide the ventilator and duct thereof with means operable from within the room whereby the admission of air tothe duct, guide vanes, and ventilator bends can be satisfactorily controlled. Y

Further objects and features of novelty will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

Generally described, the invention comprises a duct or casing passing through the wall of a building; a plurality ofv guide vanes within the casing spaced apart from one another and having a closure coperating therewith to open the entrance to the passages between the vanes in sequence, from top downwardly, and that of the casing as well; a current-distributer composed of quadrantally bent plates set at intervals one from the other to form channels between them and having their entrance and exit ends alined in vertical and horizontal planes respectively, the entrance ends receiving the air from the said passages, and the eXit ends delivering it within the room vertically along the adjacent side thereof; a' slide inserted between the guide-vanes and the distributer plates operating to admit the air into the said channels successively, from the llowermost vane upwardly, or to exclude it therefrom upon being moved in the reverse direction, and means operable inside the `apartment for graduating the volume of air permitted to flow in through the ventilator.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all its features and instrumentalities are combined in the one and same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be 'obvious to those vskilled inV the art to which the invention appertains,'upon becoming conversant with the details thereof,"that the `samemay be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is. subniitted herewith as showing the'preferred exemplification of the invention. Y

In the said "drawing: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view `of the invention,

parts .being omitted or shown in section;

Fig. 2 is Ya similar view of thecurrent distributer alone; Fig. Sais a fragmentary plan view, showing the right-'hand portion of the ventilator, taken from the interior of the apartment: Fig. 4 is 'al fragmentary rear elevation `ofthe same,this being the left of the ventilator, when viewed from the exterior of the building; Fig. r5 is a similar elevation of the middle. portion of the apparatus, one of the parts indicated inthe preceding figure being shown inV a changed position;v Fig. 6 is a fragmentarysfront elevation of the latternamedportion, `looking in the opposite direction, the distributer being omitted;l Fig. 7

' is a fragmentary front elevation of the inner vThis collector which may also be termed a wind-box, comprises a top 12, bottom 13, and

ends 14, l5. Overlapping iianges 16, 17, join the said parts at the front and rear respectively, these flanges surrounding oppositely-disposed Yopenings 18, 19'.

Y In practice, the upper margin of the lower front flange (looking from the outside) is beveled to an edge 20, the purpose of which will presently appear. j Within the collector 11, substantially in alinement with the said edge 20, is hinged a door 25,'acting as a closurefor the outer opening 18,when placed in a vertical position, as seen in Fig. 5. The lower edge of this door is rolled or beaded -outwardly,"as atl26, and also made `to contact with the before mentioned edge 20,v in

such a manner that when the door is swung from `its-open, horizontal position, shown in Figs. 4 and V8, 4any snow or sleet lodged thereon will readily beV scraped oif. At the ends of they door 25 are formed hubs 27, which partake of the curvature of the rolled-'over edge 26thereof. `Fivot pins 28, secured in these hubs by means of set-screws- 29, are journaled in the end walls of the collector 11. Upon withdrawing the said pins 28 inwardly of the latter, the door 25 may be removed. The side and top edges of this door, when closed contact with the over-lapping flanges 16,* 17 so as to keep out rain and snow fronrthe interior of the air-collector. It is conceivable that the door 25 could be sustained directly in the wall opening4 without the adjunct of the casing 11. Substantially central .of the said door is formed a hollow boss 32, within and across the sides of which is fitted a pin 33. The latter is connected by means of 'a link 34, to a `spindle 35,`in such a-manner thatA when the said spindle is manipulatedone way or the other, the door will either stand vertical or lie horizontally or occupy some 'intermediate position, for instance, as is indicated at b and c Fig. 8. ToV

adapt it for its function'of raisingand lowering the door 25, the said spindle 35 may be threaded (multiple if desired toeii'ect quick movement) and have its end portions journaled in bearings 36, 37 formed with the front and rear flanges 16, 17, respectively. See Figs. 5, 6 and 18. VAs here shown, a hand-wheel 88,' or other grip, is mounted on the inner reduced extremity r39 of the spindle, in a convenient position to be operated from within the building. said'hand-wheel co-acts with a fixed collar 40 in holding the spindle from axialV displacement.V A nut or internally threaded sleeve 41 is in engagement with the threaded part of the spindle and is translatable thereon axially when the latter is rotated. Trunnions 42 extending rfrom opposite-sides of the'sleeve 41, are engaged byV a fork or bifurcation'43 at the adjoining end of the link 34. The outward extreme' travel of the linkpin 33,corresp0nding to the closed position The hub of the f of the door 25, is indicated at CZ Fig. 8. The

spindleV 35, traveling nut 41,wand the inner or lower end of the link 34 are contained in a trough shaped extension 44, depending from the bottom 13 of the air-collector 1l. g

Vithin the said collector are placed, at suitable intervals apart, a plurality of horizontal shelf-likevanes 47, which are practically extensions of other vanes, to be more fully referred to hereinafter. Thesaid vanes 47 are held to the ends 14, 15 of the collector proximately flush with the adjoining face 1 ofthe inside flange 17 of the collector, while their outer edges follow the arcuate path described by the free edge of the door 25 swinging upon its pivot 28. Thus, it will be observed, as lthis door is `moved inwardly from a closed position, .the spaces between the vanes 47 areuncovered one after the other from the top downwardly.

As shown, the uppermost vane 47 is substantially on a level with the top margin of the outer opening 18, and the forward edge thereof may be turned up as at 50, to prevent an incoming air-current from backing up above this vane. Adjacent to, or rather spaced from the inner edges of the said vanes a suflicient distance topermt the insertion of a slide 54, is an air-distributer 55. The said slide may be ofany suitable construction. As shown, it consists of a frame 56 with a glass or other panel 57, lifting hooks 58 being provided for convenience in raising or lowering the same. It willbe noticed that the amount of air passing through the duct, casing, collecting opening or like element constituting the body of the before described collector, and between the said vanes, into the distributer above mentioned, can be regulated in three ways, to wit: first by the slide 54, which uncovers the vanes one after another from the bottom of both collector and distributer upwardly;

second, by the previously described swing- ,ing door 25, which opens the entrance to the upper vanesfirst and thence to the others downwardly; and third, by working the door and the slide conjointly'one with the other. By reason of this arrangement, it is possible to conduct the air between one or more sets of vanes, top or bottom, at option. In some instances, it may be found advantageous to use the swinging doorin such way as to shut out rain or snow, and to do the regulating by the slide; while in other cases, the control of the air may be had through the agency of the door; and under certain circumstances the door and the slide can be utilized each as the governing medium on its own side of the duct.

Although a separate slide is shown in conjunction with the ventilator, no limitation in i this respect is thereby intended, as the present invention purports to use an ordinary window-sash to vary the ingress or egress of air to or from the distributer. As seen particularly in Figs. 3 and 7, at one side thereof, the slide described can be maintained in 4proper alinement, within or relatively to the ventilator, by means of lateral retainers 61. These may be attached to the vertically -extending margins of the inner face of the rear flange 17, or to any other convenient primary support, by means of screws 62, for instance. The inner edge of each retainer pis offset at 63, to serve as a ledge, the purpose whereof will be fully set forth hereinafter. V

lVhether or not the slide 54 be used the bottom part of the distributer 55 is turned so as toreceive the air from the aforementioned collector, or the guide vanes thereof,

which incidentally may be .made integral with the Said distributor, as the casermay be. In its preferred embodiment, the said distributer comprises quadri-sectoral end pieces 67, between which are confined concentrically disposed quandrantal curved vanes 68. These vanes are spaced apart to form between them a series of gradual substantially 90O bends affording correspondingly shaped passages 69, arranged so that the shortest and sharpest bend is uppermost and the succeeding bends follow one after the other, with the intervening passages, in the order of their respective lengths. The receiving ends of-the said passages 69 are disposed one labove another substantially in the same vertical plane, and also tangentially to the oncoming air-currents, so as torcollect the greatest quantity thereof and guide the same gradually for their entire travel through the distributer. Y

Due to the fact that the air-currents, flowing from the exterior into the apartment to be ventilated, are divided into a plurality of subordinate parallelk layers by the vanes, they are prevented from interfering with one another, and the internal friction of the air traveling along the bends 69 is accordingly reduced. Besides, .the particles of the air composing the said layers are protected from the main body of the oncoming air as soon as they have passed beyond the exposed surface of the lower one of the pair of vanes forming each passage. Thus, only a comparatively small portion of the air passing between the vanes is subjected to direct impingement of the air particles next following. From the moment the air which has entered between a pairl of adjacent vanes passes beyond an area on vthe lower vane of the pair bounded by an extended line tangential to the upper vane, it becomes free from this impinging action of the following air, which then only serves to urge the protected volume of air farther ahead.

The quantity of air flowing between vthe vanes 68 of the distributer is guided bytheir gradually changing curvature in such a manner that the deviation thereof is produced with the least loss of velocity. All of the separated air-layers issue in one and the same plane, which is at substantially right angles to the plane of entrance to the passages between the vanes. This disposition of vanes at the exit ends of the passages taken in conjunction with the unimpeded speed of the air flowing therethrough, will cause the layers again combining at the issue points to continue their travel collectivelyto the greatest possibleextent upward, before the air becomes diffused and commingles with the other air within the room. By thus favoring Aand maintaining the speed of the air passing through the ventilator into the room to the farthestextent, direct drafts upon the occupants thereof are avoided. If the ventilator is placed in front of a window or other aperture in the wall of an apartment, such an aperture can be left considerably open without discomfort, because the upwardly-owing air streams act as Va screen or curtain in shutting out the external air that could otherwise be directly blown in. The before-mentioned vanes 68 have their longitudinal edges beaded or folded over, as at 71, to constitute reinforcements therefor. The ends of these reinforcing beads are clasped within apertures 7 2,' provided in lips 73, depending from flanges 74, which are formed on the radial sides of the lateral pieces 67 and extended at substantially right angles to the same. The remaining quadrantal sides of the said lateral pieces are provided with a corresponding flange 75,'to which is riveted or otherwise secured the longest and outermost vane 68a, as shown at 76 (Fig. 2). At the apex ofthe quadrisector, or juncture of the flanges 7 4 in opposite end-pieces, is attached a right-angular brace 77, which together with the aforementioned outermost vane 68a maintains the intermediate vanes 68 in their proper position. Where the vanes comprised in the distributer are of considerable length, it is desirable to hold them together, for instance by a tie 80, extending between the outer vane 68ja and brace 77. This tie preferably consists of a channeled car, as shown, the depending flanges of which take over the Vbeaded edges of the intermediate vanes, substantially in the manner set forth relative to the end or lateral pieces 67. A similar tie may be Vused in connection with the guide vanes 47 within the air-collector, as shown at 81, Fig. 6, excepting that the latter-named tie must be curved to conform to the path followed by the free edge of the closure 25, instead of being straight like the tie 80 in Fig. 2.

Constructed in accordance with the detailed description hereinbefore given, the air-distributer 55 constitutes a rigid, light kand economically manufactured device for the purposes set forth. To enable the same to be readily placed in and removed from the .position represented in Figs. 3, 7 and 8, a convenient means, in the shape of keepers 85, is provided. As seen at 86, Fig. 3 the nose portion of the keeper there shown takes back of the ledge 68 of the retainer 61. Screws 87, engaging suitable slots 84 either in the flat body portion of the keeper or in the angle-brace 77, permit lateral adjustment of the former to make up for any slight variations in construction or assembling.

As illustrated in Fig. 8 particularly, it will be noticed that the slide 54 and the distributer 55 rest with their lower edges upon a shelf-like projection 88, extending into the room from the lower part of the insidel fiange 17. In order to make a windproof contact between the bottom of the distributer and this shelf 88, apacking strip 89 of felt, india-rubber, or other suitable material, may be attached to the adjacent edge of the distributers outermost vane 68a. It is obvious that if the slide 54 is omitted, the distributer itself can be placed bodily against the inner iange 17 of the air-collector.

Fig. 3 indicates how a duct or casing, designed to fill the office of an air-collector, can be made of a'plurality of parts, for instance, two as shown. These parts may be united on a line 91, and held together by a threaded rod or bolt 92, one at each end if desired.

In the rmodified form of the invention represented by Fig. 9, the distributer 55a is carried by, or carries, a flange 95, which is placed in sliding engagement with the inner face of the collector 11, so as to bring a greater or less number of the passages 68b into communication with the said collector, and in this manner control the amount of vair flowing through the said distributer'. As a means of holding the said flange 95 with the distributer in the position thereto assigned, a Vscrew 96 is shown. Another screw 97, or equivalent device, may be employed to hold the upper portion of this flanged air-distributer 55 up against the air-collector 11,

It will be observed that the before described vanes 68 constitute a series of concentric arcuate deflectors that are spaced or separated from one another to form air passages therebetween. This series is removably supported adjacent to the ventilating orifice or air inlet previously mentioned, and is controlled by the slidable closure 54, which successively traverses the end of the deilectors as it moves in either direction. In practice, the form of Ventilating apparatus here referred to is considered as best realizing the advantages of the invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is 1. A Ventilating apparatus including, in combination, a series of concentric arcuate deflectors spaced to form air passages therebetween, means for supporting said deflectors adjacent to a Ventilating orifice, and means for opening or closing said air passages successively.

2. A ventilating apparatus including, in combination, a series of concentric arcuate deflectors of progressively increasing lengths spaced to form air passages therebetween, means for supporting said deliectors adjacent to a Ventilating orifice, and a slidable member for controlling the flow through said passages serially from the longest to the shortest in one direction, and to close the same in reverse order when moved in the opposite direction.

3. A Ventilating apparatus including, in combination, a series of concentric arcuate deflectors spaced to form air passages of unequal lengths therebetween, means for supporting said deflectors adjacent to a ventilating orifice, said passages having their entrance ends superposed in the same vertical plane so as to receive the air tangentially from said orifice in horizontal layers, and their exit ends disposed one behind another in the same horizontal plane for delivering the air in parallel vertical layers supporting each other, and a closure at said entrance ends operable to open or close them serially.

4c. A Ventilating apparatus including, in

combination, a series of concentric arcuate deiectors separated from one another so as to form air passages therebetween, means for removably supporting said series of deflectors in spaced relation to a Ventilating oriiice, and a slidable element operable in the space between the latter and the deflectors to establish or out oii the flow of air therethrough.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan in the county of New York and State of New York this Sth day of October A. D. 1914.

HARRY L. VAN ZILE. THOS. A. LEWIS. Witnesses:

H. C. KARLsoN, W. I-I. GEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each,'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

